Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Silas Durocher – guitar, vocals
Jesse Gentry – bass, vocals
JC Mears – drums, vocals
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to The Get Right Band? How long has the band been around?
We’ve all played in a bunch of different bands. Jesse and I have been playing in bands together since middle school. Immediately before The Get Right Band, he and I played in another Asheville band called Soulgrass Rebellion. Then we formed GRB about 5 years ago. JC has played with Swift Robinson and does some gigs now and then Empire Strikes Brass. Both Jesse and JC do some side gigs with Philo and I do some side gigs with Lovestruck Suckers. But The Get Right Band is the main focus for all of us now.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Our mission as a band is to get the listener right. The idea is, come to a show, put on the album, sink into the music, forget what’s worrying, forget about this crazy election, forget about your money problems… feel good, feel connected, get right.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
I do most of the songwriting, but Jesse has written a couple too. Once I write the song, I bring it to the band and we develop it together, make changes as needed, and turn it into something we all feel great about. But the songwriting process doesn’t stop once we start playing a song live… it’s a constantly evolving process with our tunes. The lyrical themes are whatever is moving me… love, heartbreak, and sadness in the world, joy, dancing, lust, and frustration with the status quo. It definitely changes over time because I change over time, and I’m always trying to express something honest and something personal.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
There’s kind of an endless list of bands that inspire us. Just to name a handful… Led Zeppelin, Sublime, early Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Failure, Dr. Dog, The Wood Brothers…
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
No, I don’t think so. When Jesse and I first started playing in bands in middle school we were definitely inspired by bands like Weezer and Green Day, but also Hendrix and Zeppelin.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …
Yeah, we like to do some stretching and just chill out. If we’re trying something new at the show or somebody has an idea of something they want to do we’ll talk through that. We really just try to let go of whatever baggage we’ve got and get into a place where we can be present in the music.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Playing on NPR’s “World Café” last April was a huge deal. That’s an incredible show… they’ve had The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes. So of course that was so exciting for us. We were also really honored to be picked by Relix Magazine for their “On The Verge” section. But honestly, I think the most important thing we’ve done so far as band is this album, Who’s in Charge? It’s the thing I’m most proud of and most excited to share with people.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
We talk about this a lot… it’s fun to fantasize about. Keeping it to current bands, Dr. Dog, Ozomatli, 311, Cage The Elephant, My Morning Jacket, RX Bandits. We got to open for Rusted Root recently… that was a real treat!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just that we’re so pumped about this album. It’s got a lot of different things going on… rock, reggae, blues, funk, and it’s all filtered through this pop/rock/psychedelic approach to production. It was a pleasure to make the album, a very satisfying artistic endeavor, and we can’t wait to get it into people’s ears and hearts.
8/05/16 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall ***Album Release Show
8/06/16 - Roswell, GA - Roswell Riverside Sounds
8/10/16 - Roanoke,VA - Martin’s Downtown
8/12/16 - New Hope, PA - Triumph Brewing Company
8/13/16 - Philadelphia, PA - The Grape Room
8/14/16 - Harlem, NY - Shrine
8/15/16 - New York, NY - The Manderley Bar
8/17/16 - Boston, MA - Extended Play Sessions
9/01/16 - Boone, NC - The Boone Saloon w/ Roots of a Rebellion
9/02/16 - Stuart, VA - Front Porch Festival
9/09/16 - Boone, NC - Musicfest at Blue Bear Mountain
9/15/16 - Frederick, MD - Alive @ Five
9/17/16 - Floyd, VA - Dogtown Roadhouse
9/29/16 - Knoxville, TN - Preservation Pub
9/30/16 - Nashville, TN - The End w/ Aquaducks
10/1/16 - Chattanooga, TN - Clyde's on Main
10/7/16 - Asheville, NC - RiverLink RiverMusic w/ Blitzen Trapper and The Broadcast
Website: www.thegetrightband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thegetrightband
Twitter: @thegetrightband
Instagram: @thegetrightband
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/the-get-right-band